Respiratory protection is a complex topic.One of the more vague elements of it is making sure the employee really understands the training provided so that he/she can use the respirator as designed for personal protection.
The selection of any protective garment is complicated and carries the potential for serious consequences should the decision prove to be incorrect or the selection in any way inadequate. For this reason, standards bodies, vendors, customers, and workers are engaged -- often in the pages of this very magazine -- in ongoing conversations to determine the appropriate levels of protection for a given task.
"Our big take-home message is, wear self-contained breathing apparatus during all phases of firefighting," said co-author Suzanne Snedeker. "Put on the gear before arriving at a fire and don't take it off until the operation or inspection is completed, even during fire inspections conducted days later when chemicals can still outgas from charred remains."
The ANSI Appeals Board Panel dismissed the appeal from the Construction Industry Employer Coalition, according to ASSE, the standard's secretariat.
When Keith Cooley, left, ordered a Cease Operation Order to be executed Thursday, it was only the third time the Michigan workplace safety agency had taken this action for a repeated failure to abate hazards.
About 4,200 units of the Sperian Warrior SCBA, shown here, will be shipped to fire departments in the Los Angeles County area in the next 10 months, the company announced today.
An ANSI standard may be finalized by the end of this year, Connecticut's new penalties for drivers who injure workers take effect Oct. 1, and the Subpart K federal rule will take effect Dec. 1.
A lack of fall protection equipment and PPE were among the repeat violations OSHA cited.
A blotch of black, gray, white, red, orange, yellow, blue, or violet fuzzy or slimy growth is usually the result of widespread mold growth. Besides infection and allergic reactions, excessive mold growth indoors can result in offensive, musty odors from the gases released by certain molds as they grow and die.
"Work that respects human dignity is the essence of decent work, the mission of the ILO," said ILO Director-General Juan Somavia. "Decent work must be safe work."
That’s a clever use of duct tape, I thought, but it’s not reasonable for work boots. The employee wore a pair of dry, rotted-leather safety shoes that were being held together with duct tape, and he was trying to make it to payday. I’ve seen other employees who have purchased used safety shoes that had been worn down, causing uneven foot surfaces or treads that could potentially cause a fall. I’ve also seen the super-discount safety shoes, which are hard to walk in and extremely heavy.
The case began after a complaint last year alleged fall hazards were present.
Beginning today, the week asks emergency responders to focus on their PPE, training, wellness, exercise, and medical and physical evaluations.
Currently, no single personal protective ensemble can protect the wearer from exposure to all hazards.
Issued Wednesday, the bulletin describes "technologically achievable and promising" controls for several types of machines used in mines.
Arc flashes occur when electrical current jumps the gap between two or more energized conductors. Depending upon the amount of current, arc temperatures can exceed 35,000 degrees F. That’s why electrical workers must wear fire-resistant (FR) personal protective equipment when working near exposed, energized equipment.
A new NIH-funded study suggests hearing loss is underdiagnosed in this population.
"It is particularly disturbing that we found a number of serious violations of a repeated nature. . . . This situation does not indicate an effective program is in place," said Richard S. Terrill, regional administrator for OSHA in Seattle.
Citing "extreme volatility in costs for raw materials, energy, transportation, and logistics," the company said the increase will be effective July 1.